- Ubuntu 25.10 will remove GNU coreutils and adopt tools developed in Rust.
- The change seeks to improve security and efficiency by eliminating vulnerabilities in the C language.
- Canonical introduces Oxidizer, a bridge for smooth transitions without impacting system stability.
- The community is divided over the impact on free software philosophy and the abandonment of the GPL.
The ecosystem Linux is at a turning point. Ubuntu, one of the most recognized and widely used distributions in the open source world, has announced a significant change that will mark a turning point in its development. Canonical, the company behind Ubuntu, has decided to phase out the GNU components that have been fundamental to the system for decades.
From version Ubuntu 25.10, a technical restructuring will be implemented that will replace the traditional GNU coreutils tools with versions developed in PeaceThis move responds to the company's intention to improve the to maximise security and your enjoyment. and system performance, leaving behind the vulnerabilities inherent to the C language, upon which GNU CoreUtils was based. For more information on other distributions, you can see our list of the best Linux distributions.
Reasons behind abandoning GNU in Ubuntu
This transition is not only due to technical reasons, but also to a series of ideological and structural changes in the approach to free software. For years, the fundamental tools of GNU have been a solid foundation of the Linux ecosystem, but their age and the fact that they are written in C have made them prone to errors, such as buffer overflows and memory access failures.
For its part, Rust has been designed to avoid this type of problems, since Its memory management system prevents a wide range of vulnerabilities. In addition, this language facilitates the programming in multiprocessor environments more securely, which is crucial to maximizing the performance en hardware modern. If you are interested in learning more about how to access Linux partitions from Windows, you can consult our article on access Linux partitions.
Another important factor in this decision is the difference in licensing. While GNU/Linux uses the General Public License (GPL), which requires all derivative software to maintain the same open source philosophy, Rust and the new Ubuntu packages are opting for the MIT licenseThe latter is much more flexible and allows third parties to use and modify the code without having to share their changes, which has generated intense debate among free software advocates.
A gradual change with the help of Oxidizer
To avoid an abrupt transition, Canonical has developed a tool called OxidizerThis will allow users to try out new Rust utilities without losing access to traditional GNU versions on their system.
Oxidizer can be easily installed from GitHub or through the package manager Role. Users will be able to activate these new commands progressively and, if necessary, revert to the previous system. However, it is recommended to backup before introducing these changes, as they affect essential system components. For those looking to optimize their Linux experience, you can explore how improve your terminal.
Some initial tests have shown that the new commands in Rust offer significant improvements in terms of performance and efficiencyA concrete example is the tool Black, which in Rust has been shown to be up to six times faster than its GNU equivalent.
What does this change mean for the Linux community?
This move by Canonical not only affects Ubuntu, but is also part of a larger trend within the Linux ecosystem. Linux kernel began integrating Rust since version 6.1, and figures such as Linus Torvalds have expressed their support for this evolution.
If this transition is successful, we could witness a structural change in the way free software is developed and distributed. The name GNU / Linux It could lose its relevance if more and more fundamental system tools cease to depend on the GNU Project. Therefore, this movement invites reflection on the future and the direction open source software will take.
On the other hand, Canonical's decision has created division among users and developers. While some see this change as an improvement in security and optimization, others question whether this represents a setback in the philosophy of free softwareThe adoption of more permissive licenses like the MIT license could open the door for more companies to integrate and modify these elements without having to share their improvements with the community.
The future of Ubuntu and its relationship with the Linux ecosystem is at a crossroads. The project has embarked on a technological transformation with long-term implications. Users now have to decide whether they are willing to embrace this change, which not only impacts system performance and security but also redefines the balance between innovation and the principles of free software.
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